The importance of setting boundaries and routines in Early Years

Alongside boundaries, routines play a crucial role in your child’s development. They instil a sense of predictability and consistency, which leads to accountability. Setting regular daily patterns helps your child know what to expect next, reducing anxiety and tantrums. It also lays the foundations for essential skills such as time management and self-care. The day is full of opportunities to instil routines across several areas of life. Introducing personal hygiene habits like brushing teeth, washing the face and bathing are especially important. Additionally, try setting a time at which your child should be dressed and ready for the day. As spontaneous as it may seem, even playtime can be a way to create a routine by designating a specific play area, setting limits on screen time or encouraging imaginative play. Eating is a default routine, and by setting regular mealtimes, you provide your child with a powerful anchor upon which to build other routines. Then, of course, it is important to bookend each day with a regular sleep schedule.   

But the benefits of boundaries and routines extend far beyond home and family life. And they are not just a way to encourage good behaviour. They have so many positive downstream effects on your child’s learning outcomes. A child who understands the importance of respecting personal space, listening to others, taking turns, sharing and resolving conflicts constructively is already prepared for a school environment. They will be better equipped to navigate relationships with their peers and build strong friendships. Along the way, they gain a stronger sense of belonging, which builds self-esteem and leads to greater happiness. And by extension, a happy pupil is more likely to be a successful pupil. 

Routines, likewise, are the building blocks of success. A child who is accustomed to consistent routines in the home will more easily adjust to the structure of a school day. They already understand the value of managing time. This helps to foster the kind of self-discipline it takes to dedicate time and space to academic tasks, prioritise responsibilities and resist distractions. The successes that spring from this cannot be underestimated. With each successful outcome, your child builds the confidence to pursue greater challenges, leading to increasingly bigger successes.  

Of course, all of this may seem like a challenge. And that is because it is, a young child is naturally resistant to rules and structure. But the long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term challenges. The goal is not to create a rigid, inflexible environment. Rather, it is to build a supportive framework within which your child can explore, learn, grow and develop. As such, it is important to remain as consistent as possible; keep the compromises to a minimum. Also, and we say this a lot, children learn as much by your deeds as by your words, so lead by example. Be conspicuous with your own routines. This may even be an opportunity for you to build more positive routines and habits in your own life. Ultimately, with patience, persistence, love and a little bit of firmness, you can lay a strong foundation for your child’s academic success.